Piston or plunger.



No. 639,363. Patented Dec. l9, I899.

' W. DOCKUM PISTON OR PLUNGER.

(Application filed Aug. 11, 1899.)

(No Model.)

claim, it being understood that the improve- WILLIAM DOCKUM, OFOSTRANDER, OHIO.

PISTON OR PLUNGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 639,363, datedDecember 19, 1899.

Application filed August 11, 1899.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I,WILLIAM DooKUM,a citizen of the United States,residing at Ostrander, in the county of Delaware and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful Piston or Plunger, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to pistons and plungers, and has for its objectto provide an improved metal packing therefor consisting of a pluralityof sections yieldingly mounted upon the piston or plunger, so as tomaintain a tight fit therefor, and means for preventing separation ordisplacement of any of the parts thereof.

To these ends the present invention consists in the combination andarrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shownin the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in theappended ment is susceptible of various changes in the form, proportion,size, and the minor details of construction without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a piston or plungerhaving the improved packing applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on theline a; 00, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line 'y3 Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of thering-sections.

Corresponding parts are designated by like reference characters in allthe figures of the drawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates a plunger orpiston-rod having the head 2 fitted to one end thereof. 'As clearlyindicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the head is solid and provided witha comparatively wide circumferential peripheral groove 3, which formsthe opposite circumferential flanges 4., extending flush with therespective flat faces or ends of the head.

The groove 3 is adapted to receive the several sections of the packingand is provided with radial pins 5, projecting outward from the base ofthe groove and midway between the sides thereof. These pins arepreferably Serial No. 726,901. (No model.)

three in number and are disposed at equidistaut points about theperiphery of the head. Reinovably fitted in the groove 3 is a packingring composed of three sections 6, each consisting of a flat arcuateband having a longitudinal external rib 7 eXtending the entire length ofthe band and located midway between the sides thereof. It will be notedby reference to Figs. 2 and 3 that the individual arcuate bands 6 fitsnugly the groove 3 from side to side thereof and the contiguous endsabutfiush, so as to form a continuous ring extending entirely around thehead. Each ring-section 6 is provided with a socket or recess 8 in itsunder face midway of itslength and adapted to receive one of the pins 5,so as to prevent circumferential movement of the section. interposedbetween each ringsection and the base of the groove 3 is a bowedleaf-spring 9, having a central opening 10 formed therethrough andreceiving the respective pin 5. The springs fit the entire width of thegroove 3 and have their ends engaging the base of the groove and theouter convex faces thereof bearing against the inneradjacent faces ofthe respective ring-sections 6, so as to permit of a radial movementthereof, and thereby yieldingly mount the same upon the head. Thesockets or recesses 8, formed in the ring-sections, are longer than thepins 5 fitted therein, so as to provide for the yielding movement of thesections, and thus it will be seenthat the ring-sections do not fitdirectly against the head or base of the groove 3, but are spaced out ofcontact therewith, so that the sections may not be rigidly mounted uponthe head, but capable of a radial yielding movement, so as to maintain atight fit within the bore of the cylinder.

Fitted to the outer faces of the ring-sections at opposite sides of theribs 7 and between the latter and the opposite side walls of the groove3 are a plurality of bowed or arcuate metallic packing-strips 11,arranged to break joints with the ring-sections. As indicated in Fig. 2,it will be seen that each of a pair of these packing-strips at oppositesides of the rib 7 of one of the ring-sections is provided with a pin orlug 12, projecting inward from the inner face of the strip intermediateof the ends thereof and seated in near one end thereof, so as to preventcircumferential movement of the strips upon the ring-section. As theseveral strips at opposite sides of the rib 7 abut at their contiguousends, it is sufficient to provide one strip of each series with a pin,as will be understood.

By reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the outer faces of the ribs7, the bowed or arcuate packing-strips 11, and the flanges 4 are allnormally flush with each other, so as to provide the head with a smoothunbroken peripheral surface to fit snugly the bore of a cylinder. As thelatter and the plunger become worn the bowed springs 9 force outward thering-sections 6 and the packing-strips 11 carried thereby, so that thewear may be taken up and the proper fit of the head maintained.

It will be understood that the present packing may be effectivelyemployed in connection with water, steam, oil, or air, as the sev,- eralsections of the packing are mounted separately and yield individually,so that the head may fit perfectly the bore of the cylinder, and byreason of the fact that the sections are arranged to break joints escapeof the steam, water, oil, or air through said joints is effectivelyprevented.

What I claim is The combination with a piston or plunger having acircumferential groove, and radial pins projecting from the base of thegroove, of a packing-ring comprising separate sections havingintermediate longitudinal ribs and provided with sockets or recessesadapted to slidably receive the respective pins, bowed leaf-springsinterposed between the respective ring-sections and the base of thegroove and provided with central openings loosely receiving therespective pins, and a plurality of arcuate packing-strips fitted uponthe outer face of the packing-ring and at opposite sides of the ribs ofthe ring-sections, some of the packing-strips being provided with pinsadapted to register with openings formed in the respectivering-sections, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM DOCKUM.

Witnesses:

S. B. MYERS, CHARLES I-IoDGEs.

